The Reaction
by WalkingDeadHeart
Summary: What if Rick waited for Daryl to come back? Takes place after 403 but without 404. CARYL
1. Chapter 1

Hello walking dead lovers. I wrote this story right after I saw 403, Isolation. This takes place before 404 and as if it never happened. There is slight violence which is why it is t- rated.

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_Michonne, Tyreese & Daryl are back from the run. They found the medicine. As Hershel starts to treat everyone Rick decided to talk to Daryl._

"I hope this works. We've already lost too many people to it." Rick stands next to Daryl once everybody else has left.

Daryl nods his head but remains silent.

"While you were gone I uh, became a sheriff again. I looked at the crime through the eyes of an officer of the law. I know who did it." Rick wanted to tell Daryl about Carol before anybody else knew.

Daryl turned to him, "And? Who was it?"

Rick hesitated before answering, "It was Carol."

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Daryl leaned against the door frame, watching Carol do laundry. He stood there for a while before she turned and saw him.

"Hey," Carol smiled at him, " The run went ok?" She asked as she continued to fold the clothes.

"Rick told me." Daryl said not moving from his spot.

Carol stopped what she was doing. Neither one needed to clarify what he was talking about.

"Why'd ya do it?" He asked trying to understand.

" I wanted to protect the group, The children." She went back to her work.

"By murdering people!" Daryl stood up straight and walked towards.

Carol brought her hand to her face trying to hold back the tears, " I know it was wrong but I got scared and I panicked. I can't lose another child." Her other hand was now holding her up to prevent her from crumbling on the floor.

The angry that built up in him was suddenly gone.

"I told myself the ends justify the means. That it would stop anymore people getting sick." Carol wiped the tears from her face standing straight. "Who all knows?"

"Just me an' Rick. Asked him not ta tell nobody else til I talked ta ya." Daryl watched her for a moment before walking across the room and sweeping her into his arms.

He wasn't OK with what she did, but she was his Carol and he was her Daryl. She was the first person who gave him a chance. She didn't treat him like redneck white trash piece of shit. What she did was wrong and she knew it. He wasn't going to abandon her now.

She didn't fall into him. She didn't start crying or begging for forgiveness. Instead she wrapped her arms tightly around him. Carol knew she had done something horrible, a unnecessary terrible deed. She knew that she had to go out and face the choir. There was no turning back now. But knowing Daryl had her back. That Daryl would be standing next her gave her the strength to go out there and admit what she had done.

Gathering as much strength from him as she could she slowly leaned out of the hug. "I should be the one to tell Tyreese."

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Rick and Daryl leaned against the door to the cell of Tyreese's cell. Everybody else was with their families. It would be a couple of days before they knew if the treatment would work but hopes where high. Rick looked over at the redneck. He had expecting him brewing with angry but he was oddly calm. Nervous as he chewed on the skin of his thumb, but otherwise calm.

Carol sat on the bunk across from Tyreese and reached out her hand to grab Tyreese's hand but then thought better of the idea crossing her fingers in front of her. "We know who killed Karen and David."

The man perked up at this, "Who was it?"

Carol looked him directly in the eye. "Me."

The air was dead silent before Tyreese spoke again, "Are you kidding me? Why are you lying? Who are you protecting!" He shouted as he stood up.

"No one. It was me, Tyreese. I was trying to protect everybody but I made a horrible mistake." Carol stood up with him.

Daryl shifted his position ready to jump in at any moments notice. Rick watched Carol and Tyreese as they stood with barely any gap between them. The air was tense and it made Rick nervous. It was too quiet.

It happened so fast that at first Rick had no idea what had happen. One minute Carol was standing and the next she was on the ground. Daryl grabbed Carol as Rick stepped to the black man trying to talk to him. When Tyreese hit him, it felt like his face exploded. Although Tyreese may be taller and bigger but Rick had been trained on how to handle these kinds of situations. With Daryl's help he was able to wrestle the man down to floor. They were still trying to calm him down when all three of them heard the click of a gun.

Carol stood in the doorway with a gun pointed at Tyreese's head. "Given the circumstances I'll allow this one to pass but if you ever hit me again you'll be joining Karen."

Rick could see the bruise blooming across her cheek. He was still surprised Ty had back-handed her. He was sure his face looked close to her's. She stood there making sure everybody knew her threat was real before letting go of the trigger, setting the gun on the bed and leaving the room.

Tyreese was on all fours screaming and crying. Daryl looked at Rick, Rick nodded his head. He could handle Tyreese on his own.

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Carol was in her room taking care of her bruise. He had hit her cheekbone. She was going to have a black eye, her skin had split under contact, bleeding underneath her eye. She also had some blood coming from inside her mouth where her teeth scraped against her cheek. The bruise was turning red, blue and purple all over the left side of her face.

"Here, let me." Daryl came in behind her. He took the cloth from her hand and lead her to the bed before cleaning her face. He started on what he hoped would be the least tender spot on her face, the blood from her lips. They didn't speak as he gently cleaned her up. He treated as though if he used to much pressure she would shatter.

"Stop" she tried to take the cloth from him, " I don't deserve you kindness."

Daryl grunted at her not allowing her to take the cloth and continued his mission.

Carol sighed and closed her eyes. A throbbing headache was building up behind her eyes and her right wrist hurt from falling on it. She couldn't stop the angry tears from leaking out. She knew Tyrese was upset and she knew he was well in his right, but she hated him. She hadn't been hit by a man for almost two years but now she felt small and pathetic just like all the times Ed had hit her. Telling her she was worthless and she deserved it. Maybe he was he was right.

"What he did- it ain't right." Daryl spoke almost as if he could read her mind. Carol looked up at him through blurry eyes.

"What ya did ain't right neither but that don't make what he did ok." Daryl set the wet cloth on the floor. He grabbed her face softly between his hands and slowly brought his face to her's. He blew on her cuts, drying them.

"If I was anybody else I would have been hog tied and tossed out to the walkers." Carol tried to control the shivers that went through her body with Daryl being this close.

"But yer Carol, and I know why ya did whatcha ya did. You never really dealt with her death and now ya two litl' ones to worry about again." Daryl leaned back, letting go of her face but didn't get up.

"If I had been stronger, I could of taught her to be strong. I should of been the one going out everyday looking for her. But instead I was weak and I taught Sophia to be weak. I let other people, you, risk lives for her while I hide in the RV." Carol clenched her fists as she thought about those weeks. Worrying about Sophia, crying over Sophia but never really doing anything. Then as the wonderful mother that she was she didn't even go to her funeral.

"Ya neve' got ta say to goodbye." Daryl wrapped his arm around her laying them on the bed. They fell asleep with her curled into him and his arms wrapped around her.

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So what did you think? This can stand on its own but I think i want to right a second part. Leave me a review & give me ur opinions.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello beautiful people! Here is the 2nd have to my story. Sorry it so long I just wanted to make sure it was perfect. Plus this past couple episodes have been so intense it was hard for me to get into the right frame of mind to write this story. I hope you enjoy it!

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Carol sat behind Daryl on his bike. Him and Rick decided that until Tyrese calmed down Carol should avoid him and the best way to do that was to go on a run. She wasn't sure what they were getting on the run but Daryl told her to pack for a couple of days. The sun was just setting when Daryl pulled up to a familiar spot.

It was Hershel's farm. All that was left of the barn was a burnt skeleton, the RV next to it not looking any better. Knowing it wasn't possible, Carol swore she could smell smoke in the air. The porch to the house looked a mess but other than that, the house seemed fine. But what really caught Carol's attention were the graves. Sophia was under one of those piles. Carol turned to look at Daryl. He face was stoic, but she knew why he brought her here. Taking a deep breath she walked towards the her daughter's grave, alone.

Carol had no idea what she wanted to say. The sun was slowing leaving the sky but she had yet to say a single word. Many things bubbled to her lips before she stopped them. Some how they always sounded wrong. Carol looked behind her. Daryl was still by his bike. He had a fire started she could see his figure in the firelight but nothing else.

"Daryl brought me here." She turned back the grave and smiled. "That man knows me better than I know myself. I wish you could have met him. I mean really meet him. He is such a different person then the angry person Ed told us to stay away from at the quarry. At the time I thought Ed was thinking he could hurt us but now," She trailed off. " He is the kindest, most caring person I know. I just had to dig a little to see that side of him. Daryl taught me what it means to be strong. Through him I saw what real men are made of. When you were missing, he was out there everyday. Took an arrow and the bullet in the process." She paused. "That should have been me."

"I couldn't keep you safe Sophia. I'm so sorry for that baby. I should of taught you to fight. " Carol took a deep sigh. "There's a lot of things I should of done but I didn't."

"

For so long I never had a say in anything & now I'm a councilwoman." She laughed at the idea of it. " And now I have to make decision for a whole group. About what is best for them. I think of all the times I should of spoken up or done something more. When you went missing I let the men handle it." Carol scowled thinking of herself back then. "When Rick brought Randall back to the farm. We unsure what to do with him. Dale wanted a vote. Dale wanted to save him. I didn't think I had the right to make such a decision." Carol sat down. " I know now I do."

" I made the wrong decision but at least I did something with Karen and David. I'm not going to stand by anymore. If something needs to be done, should be done. I'm going to do it. There are children at prison. They need to know how to fight. So if they get lost in the woods they can come home. Lizzy & Mika need me to be strong for them but they need to be strong for themselves even more.I can't take back what I did but maybe I can make for it." Carol wiped at the tears of her face but they just kept on falling.

She reached her hands out towards the rocks that contained her child and let the tears fall. Carol didn't sleep that night. Sometimes she was quiet. Sometimes she talked about the prison and her family with in it. Other times she talked about the good memories about Sophia. When the sun returned to the sky, Carol's tears had dried and a weight she hadn't even been aware of, was gone. Carol stood up, her joint cracking in protest of being in position for too long.

"I love you. I will never stop loving you. I thought having you tucked away would make it easier but it didn't. I see that now. Good bye, baby." Carol kissed her fingers then laid them on the rocks.

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Smell of canned meat awoke Daryl from his slumber. He opened one of his eyes and saw Carol. He sat up yawning, his back popping.

"We're getting too old for this shit." Carol laughed.

Daryl chuckled. Just by looking at her, he could tell she got whatever she needed off her chest. He sat next to her as she handed him his breakfast. They sat in silence, enjoying the cool air before the day got too hot.

"Why didn't you go into the house? It would have been warmer" Carol asked as they cleaned up the camp.

"Didn't wanna leave ya alone." He grunted.

"I could of handled any stray walkers." She grabbed her knife as if to remind him.

"I know" He looked in her eyes and she knew he hadn't doubted her abilities.

Carol stared at him before smiling. He knew she would want to be alone with Sophia but he didn't want her to alone, alone. He wanted to be close enough so if she needed him, he would be there. Carol understood that.

"Let's go check the house. We left in such a hurry there's probably things we need." Carol stood up.

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The house looked just like they had just left. Blankets and bags lying everywhere. It would of looked like a slumber party, if Carol hadn't known otherwise. Daryl and her had only brought the bike so they wouldn't be able to take a lot but the could take some of the food, and some of the blankets. The prison had gotten pretty cold last winter. They would need as many blankets as they could find.

"We should send a group out here. We left a lot of stuff." Carol said as she went through the cupboards.

"Well we were leaving in a hurry." She heard him reply back. Carol nodded her head thinking of that night. They thought the had found a home. A sanctuary from the outside world, from the walkers. That had been a hard winter being out on the road, the prison had been cold but at least it protected them from the wind and walkers.

Daryl stared at the bed before him. It was the one he laid in after he got one of his arrows through his side. The whole room looked untouched. He walked over and sat in the bed, stroking out the wrinkles.

"Its weird being here isn't?" Daryl looked up at Carol's voice.

He nodded his head looking back at the bed.

"She's your ghost too." Carol sat next to him, grabbing his hand in her's. Daryl weaved his fingers in between her's but didn't say anything. They sat there not saying anything for a while. It wasn't uncomfortable or awkward.

"I could of done more." He finally spoke.

"There is always the what if. We can't let it control us." Carol turned to him. He was glaring at the ground but his head was miles away. She watched him. His feature's soften.

"What?" He turned to look at her.

Carol leaned forward. She held her breath. Was she real going to do this? Talking to Sophia last night made her realize all the regrets she had in her life. Of times she should of done something but didn't. Sure Daryl might reject her & it would hurt. But what if I he died tomorrow? Or what if she died tomorrow. In the old world they always said live everyday like its your last. Now those words have an even stronger meaning to her. The looming idea that tomorrow really could be your last now was much more real and scary.

She reached her hands up into his hair and pulled him down to her. He didn't jerk back but didn't come crashing to her lips either.

Carol leaned up the rest of the way and kissed him. It was small and chaste. But if I was the only kiss she ever got with him she wasn't going to run scared. She pulled back & looked at him. She could see the gears grinding away in his head before he wrapped his arms around her pulling her close. This time when their lips met there was nothing chaste about it.

There was no holding back. This was the kiss they had been avoiding since Daryl brought her the Cherokee rose. It was rough but not uncaring. It was everything she thought kissing Daryl Dixon would be. When he pulled back they were both panting.

"I love you Daryl. We don't know what tomorrow brings and I can't stand the idea that something might happen and you would never know how I felt about you. I don't care if you don't love me back. I just need to know that you know how I feel." Carol felt oddly calm as she confessed her feelings.

Daryl didn't say anything as he kissed her again.

The next couple of days passed slowly. They packed what they could on the bike then sorted through the rest of the stuff. Figuring what they would take when they came back then hiding it just in case someone came by before they could come back. The atmosphere around between them didn't change much. They hadn't kissed again since the first night but now Daryl would reach out and touch her. They would sleep in the same bed. The first time it happen Daryl was laying rigid on his side but when Carol reached out to him he welcomed the touch. Since then they laid wrapped around each other. Carol was doing one last check of the house as Daryl doubled check things were secured on the bike.

"Ready to go back home?" Carol called out to him, as she walked down the steps.

Daryl watched her with strange look on his face. She gave him a questioning look but he just shook his head. Daryl drove next to the grave site, they sat on the bike as the stared at the rocks below them. Both giving their last goodbyes then he drove away.

Carol enjoyed the peace she felt from saying good-bye to Sophia and kissing Daryl, on the way back to the prison. It had been a long time since she felt this content and it would probably be even longer before she would get to feel it again. She hadn't even realized how much time had passed until the bike and she looked up to see the gates of her home.

"I love you too." Daryl said as they waited for Carl and Maggie to open the gates at the prison.

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Sooo what did ya think? Love it? hate it? I'm pretty sure this end the end for this story. I feel like these 2 chapters completely each other and not much else could be added. I enjoyed writing this story and seeing you guys enjoying it made it even better. I would love to hear some feed back from ya :) CARYL ON


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